car for 3 kids

UGAbride

So I currently drive a small/mid-size SUV (QX4 Infiniti) that won't comfortably fit 3 carseats across the backseat....definitely not with the two Marathons and Chicco infant seat we have, but even if I went and got some narrow Radian carseats to somehow make it work, I wouldn't want to have all 3 kids squished together with their appendages within hitting/kicking distance - no thank you!  Plus the car will be 9 years old, so it's just about time anyway.

So we had been planning all along to get something bigger next spring, just before baby arrives (my husband's car would be paid off in May, and we want only one car payment at a time).  I've been leaning towards the GMC Acadia, we would hopefully get one a year or two old.  But my dad just called last night and offered me his 2007 Tahoe for a great deal (about $5-6k less than it's worth).  I'm torn...it's about 6 months earlier than we had planned to buy me a car, and my husband is about to go "on the bench" at work at the end of this week - so things are stressed, and tight here.  We are just torn on whether to try and sell my car for enough to cover payments till May (at a minimum) and go with the Tahoe, or just sit tight and wait and go with our original plan and probably not get nearly as good of a deal....I'd get something slightly newer, and maybe with an additional bell or whistle like navigation or the backup camera (Dad's car does have a DVD player, 3rd row with captain's chairs in the middle, and is in great shape though). 

Anything else I should want in a car for 3 kids?  Other than sliding doors, I don't think I'm cut out for a minivan  

WWYD?

donna&ed

that's a tough one! I'm the conservative one though...if not really really needed at this time (with things being stressful and tight), I would wait. Financial needs with 3 kids are probably going to be bigger so I would hold on to $$ as much as possible if there are any concern on the job front.

But seriously...once you have a mini van, u'lll love it It's glorious!

PuppiesAndRainbows

I would wait. There's no need to add any additional stress on yourselves right now. Used cars are actually going at a premium right now, so if you don't buy it, I'm sure your Dad won't have any trouble selling his.

Alison422

Could your dad hold on to the Tahoe until you can see what you can get for your car?  That way you could make a better decision.  I totally understand about the minivan - I can't go there either. 

UGAbride

Alison422:

Could your dad hold on to the Tahoe until you can see what you can get for your car?  That way you could make a better decision.  I totally understand about the minivan - I can't go there either. 

Yes, he would definitely hold onto it to let us seriously investigate it, and if he doesn't sell it to us he may sell it my cousin and her husband...he's not worried about getting it sold to someone, that man sells his toys on a *regular* basis (planes, motorcycles, cars). 

GTLawGirl

My parents have an Escalade which is built on the same frame as Tahoe, and I have some experience with this vehicle and car seats. You may want to borrow your dad's car for a day or two before you commit to buying it.  

I suggest putting one car seat in the second row and one in the 3rd row directly behind it, since you'll likely have 2 car seats in the 2nd row and 1 in the 3rd. 

Personally, we've found it nearly impossible to get in/out of 3rd row with a car seat in the 2nd row (much less with one in each seat).  Not only that, but we've found that given the angle of the captain's chairs in the second row, we have to lean the seat pretty far back in order to get her car seat at the proper position, hence even less space to manuver (and get a child in/out) in the third row.

In addition, unless your dad's Tahoe has the extended back, there is very little cargo space with the third row up.  We were barely able to get Rowan's stroller to fit properly.

UGAbride

GTLawGirl:

My parents have an Escalade which is built on the same frame as Tahoe, and I have some experience with this vehicle and car seats. You may want to borrow your dad's car for a day or two before you commit to buying it.  

I suggest putting one car seat in the second row and one in the 3rd row directly behind it, since you'll likely have 2 car seats in the 2nd row and 1 in the 3rd. 

Personally, we've found it nearly impossible to get in/out of 3rd row with a car seat in the 2nd row (much less with one in each seat).  Not only that, but we've found that given the angle of the captain's chairs in the second row, we have to lean the seat pretty far back in order to get her car seat at the proper position, hence even less space to manuver (and get a child in/out) in the third row.

In addition, unless your dad's Tahoe has the extended back, there is very little cargo space with the third row up.  We were barely able to get Rowan's stroller to fit properly.

Really helpful, thanks!

amyb05

I agree with GT, borrow the Tahoe for a few days before you commit. I have a Denali, basically the same SUV, with 2nd row captains chairs and third row split bench. It is virtually impossible to even get into the very back 3rd row with 2 carseats installed, just to sit etc, I can't imagine trying to get a child out unless they are able to undo their own carseat and climb through to the 2nd row.. Easton is in a Boulevard and Ellie Brooke is still in her infant seat, but when we move her to the Boulevard, I have no idea how I would get to the third row. I currently keep the 3rd row seats folded down so I use all of that space for double BOB, groceries, etc. If I had to keep those seats up to accomodate another carseat, there is hardly any cargo space. No way my BOB will fit. We are considering #3 in the spring and I am looking at the Suburban, Escalade ESV, or the extended Denali. I LOVE my Denali, but with 3, it would be really hard. I will NEVER be a minivan girl!

care99

amyb05:

I agree with GT, borrow the Tahoe for a few days before you commit. I have a Denali, basically the same SUV, with 2nd row captains chairs and third row split bench. It is virtually impossible to even get into the very back 3rd row with 2 carseats installed, just to sit etc, I can't imagine trying to get a child out unless they are able to undo their own carseat and climb through to the 2nd row.. Easton is in a Boulevard and Ellie Brooke is still in her infant seat, but when we move her to the Boulevard, I have no idea how I would get to the third row. I currently keep the 3rd row seats folded down so I use all of that space for double BOB, groceries, etc. If I had to keep those seats up to accomodate another carseat, there is hardly any cargo space. No way my BOB will fit. We are considering #3 in the spring and I am looking at the Suburban, Escalade ESV, or the extended Denali. I LOVE my Denali, but with 3, it would be really hard. I will NEVER be a minivan girl!

 Amy and GT, this is great information!  We need a new car and want to get one that accomodates 3 kids.  DH wants a Tahoe so I will pass this along.  I also want to test out a Sequoia.

maykat

amyb05:

I agree with GT, borrow the Tahoe for a few days before you commit. I have a Denali, basically the same SUV, with 2nd row captains chairs and third row split bench. It is virtually impossible to even get into the very back 3rd row with 2 carseats installed, just to sit etc, I can't imagine trying to get a child out unless they are able to undo their own carseat and climb through to the 2nd row.. Easton is in a Boulevard and Ellie Brooke is still in her infant seat, but when we move her to the Boulevard, I have no idea how I would get to the third row. I currently keep the 3rd row seats folded down so I use all of that space for double BOB, groceries, etc. If I had to keep those seats up to accomodate another carseat, there is hardly any cargo space. No way my BOB will fit. We are considering #3 in the spring and I am looking at the Suburban, Escalade ESV, or the extended Denali. I LOVE my Denali, but with 3, it would be really hard. I will NEVER be a minivan girl!

My cousin has a suburban (similar set-up I think) and we put Alec's car seat in the 3rd row.  It would be a huge pain to have to get a child out of there...so definitely look into this.

If we had gone for #3, I would have gone for the Volvo SUV.

MrsL1022

I only have one child but my lease was up. I got the van and I LOVVVEEE it!! Sliding doors are fabulous. When it's raining and you are trying to keep yourself and the baby dry you can open the door before you even get to the car and toss everything in. The space and configurations of the seats are awesome. I said never ever but with a kid that fights getting in the car seat every.single.time I can stand over him and win the battle very easily where as in my pilot I lost ALL.THE.TIME. Also, when jerk-offs park like idiots and leave you NO room to open a car door, let alone get an infant seat in the sliding doors are helpful. I had several occasions where I couldn't get the infant seat in and had to climb through the car to get him in. Now imagine doing that with 2 kids and a baby. When I had the pilot there was no comfortable way to get anyone into/out of the 3rd row with one car seat. The 3rd row would have been useless with 2 car seats in the middle row, then with the 3rd row up there was NO storage space. My last reason for wanting the van was that you just don't need an SUV in GA weather. If I still lived in NY/NJ I'd probably want it for that reason but down here I'd prefer the fuel economy. I definitely got my dose of the mini-van mom koolaid. One of these days we'll have another kid to toss in there too, then it will really be worth every penny. GL deciding! 

ascbride

We love our Volvo XC90, haven't used the third row for kiddies yet, but I have ridden back there. It's not as big as some of the other SUVS that others have mentioned though. We have friends who have four little ones and they have a suburban and a Volvo wagon (the bigger one boxier one).

Temp925407062502290

tough one but I would say if you paying $5-$6k less that is about a year or less paying it off than you originally would do it.  I would go for it and just pinch the $$

tmhopkins13

guess I'm the minority but I have a Yukon XL which is like the long version of the Tahoe-we have second row captains and third row bench. Currently we have both the boys in the second row but when baby comes in February we will be moving my oldest son to the third row and putting baby in the second. To my advantage though my oldest son can buckle and unbuckle his own carseat so I don't have to worry about me having to get him in and out-I also have another friend that has this car and puts his 2 oldest in the third row and then just lays one of the captains down completely so basically it's not in use and it's easier to keep them out this way. I love my car and we bought it specifically because we have 4 kids and knew we would have more-good luck it's a tough decision oh and someone mentioned about cargo space the tahoe would have about enough room for just a stroller again we have a ton of cargo space I have a double stroller and have room for that and then some